CinderEmily
by RedTailedHawkens
Summary: As a foster child with an infamous father, Amanda Clarke was just trying to keep her head down long enough to make it out. As the heir to a corporate empire, Daniel Grayson is just trying to survive his fate. Could the Hampton's new mystery girl be just what "Prince" Daniel needs?
1. Chapter One

Author's Note: So, I just saw the new Cinderella movie. I'll be honest, I've never been a big fan of Cinderella, and the movie was pretty much what I expected. It was better than the Disney version, which I dislike, but not as good as _Ever After_ , which I adore. Still, it was well done, and I could not help but think about turning it into a fanfiction. Cinderella stories are classic, and many of the aspects of the lives of the characters in Revenge make them perfect for such a tale; the abused foster child, branded as daughter of a terrorist, the rich 'Prince' who wants to love who he loves in spite his family's expectations, the man of means who swoops in to look after a young girl like some kind of fairy godmother because of a promise he made her father. It writes itself really. Naturally, I had to take a crack at it. Obviously, some things will be different from the show. Everything should explain itself eventually as the story unfolds, but if you have any questions, feel free to review of private message me and I will respond.

CinderEmily

Chapter One

Once Upon A Time; it's how all great fairytales start. Once Upon A Time holds a promise between its words, the promise of that final phrase, happily ever after. By the age of seventeen, Amanda Clarke knew that "Once Upon A Time" was a lie.

As a child, she loved the phrase. Her father would start stories with it, telling her of brave princes and princesses who had great adventures and found love along the way. She had believed him. She had believed a lot of things back then.

Then the men came, and took her father away, and she was told the truth about him. Her father was a monster. He hurt people. He was responsible for the downing of Flight 197, the deaths of thousands of people. She didn't want to believe it at first. Her father was a kind man. He read to her before bed and made her feel safe during thunderstorms. He got her Sammy, her beloved dog, for her ninth birthday. He loved her infinity times infinity; a phrase he had said so many times she knew it by heart now. But they had proved it was true. They had broken her faith in him, and he had made no effort to contact her and plead his case. All she could assume was that he was ashamed, and guilty, and did not love her as she had thought. The father she knew could never have done those things, so she was forced to conclude that she never truly knew him at all.

Amanda ended up in the foster system, and each home was worse than the last. She made friends in a few, but then they or she would be relocated. Nobody wanted her. She was damaged. She was a terrorist's daughter. She was bullied at school, at home, of the street. Everybody knew who she was, or rather, who her father was, and everybody hated her. Each foster family reminded her what a waste she was, how the world would be better without her.

When she was thirteen, her foster father liked taking his turn with the girls. He tried for her and she bit him, which just made him angry. Eventually, he broke her. He broke them all. Well, except one. He didn't break Emily. Emily Thorne was Amanda's foster sister. In the beginning, they had loathed each other, but they had soon learned they weren't that different. They were both broken and lost. They both just wanted to be loved. Emily and Amanda had become sisters, and one night, when their foster father had tried to take his turn with Amanda, Emily had fought back. She had gotten her hands on a knife from the kitchen, and she had stabbed him. She kept stabbing him. Then, he stopped breathing, and Emily was taken away. Amanda swore she would find her some day and thank her, if she herself survived.

Her next foster home was the one that stuck. They were cruel. They taunted and teased. They made her do demeaning things and treated her like a slave. However, they rarely hit, and never raped. Amanda had learned to be thankful for what little she had. As long as she did what she was told, they ignored her, which was far better than some of her past homes. She let them get away with it. She hated being there, but she didn't want to risk being shuffled again and ending up somewhere worse.

When she was sixteen, they took her out of school. Her foster mother did not want her precious daughters, Ana and Andrea associated with the Clarke family. Amanda was fine with that. School was a retched place anyway. Both students and teachers treated her like a blight on their perfect society. She was far happier staying in the house when nobody else was there. Graduating was just participating in a system she didn't believe in, and she knew that even if she graduated Suma Cume Laude from the best medical school in the world, she would never get anywhere in life. She was marked as David Clarke's daughter, and that was all anybody would ever see her as. Still, she got her GED, just in case. There was a cover charge to take the test, but somebody took care of it, or so she was told. She knew it could not be her foster family; they would never care enough. Amanda didn't like getting charity, but as she didn't know who was responsible, she decided to let it lie, and least for now.

Finally, Amanda was seventeen. She had less than a year left in the foster system. Once she was no longer a minor, she could leave. She didn't know where she would go. She had no money, and her odds of getting a job were pretty low. Still, she longed to be free. Her life would always be hell, she knew that, but at least it would be her own. So she marked off days on her calendar. She imagined her foster family did the same. It was now May, she had mere months to go; she just had to hold on.

* * *

Daniel Grayson smiled at the look on his sister's face. She looked so happy, and so smitten. Daniel had a complicated relationship with his family. His parents could be cruel, manipulative, difficult, etc. He always loved them, but he didn't always like them. However, he always liked Charlotte. She was the bright spot in the family, better than their parents, better than him. She was pure, untainted. She was honest and sweet. She didn't judge people. He admired her so much for her kindness and goodness, as well as her bravery and sense of rebellion. For example, right now, he was driving her to see her boyfriend, Declan Porter.

Declan worked at a bar in Montauk. His dad was a lower-middle class bar owner and his mom was MIA. He lived in a tiny apartment above the bar for financial reasons. Declan was pretty much lower middle class. That shouldn't matter at all, but to a Grayson, it was all that mattered. The Grayson's were rich and powerful. They were basically royalty, top of the food chain of the Hamptons Elite. Daniel was bound for Harvard, and he was then expected to take over the family business with some upper-crust clone of his mother by his side. It made him sick to think about it, but unlike Charlotte, he hadn't the guts to go against it.

"Mom and dad won't be happy that you're still going out with Declan." The Grayson patriarchs had made their opinion on the union quite clear when Charlotte had introduced them to Declan. They were subtle and polite, but it was clear that neither Victoria nor Conrad found him a suitable companion for their daughter and expected her to terminate the relationship ASAP.

"They know that I'm going to see him."

In spite of himself, Daniel couldn't help but laugh, "You told them?"

"If they have a problem with him, then it's exactly that, their problem. Not mine. Not Declan's."

"Yeah, I get that, but I'd at least think you'd sneak around for a bit."

"What good would that do? There not going to change their minds no matter how much time I give them to come around, and I wouldn't want Declan to think I'm ashamed of him, because I'm not. He's caring and sweet. He's been better to me in the four months I've known him than the parents have been the last fourteen years."

"Yeah but, Char, they kind of control our lives. We were raised spoiled, privileged. Can you honestly tell me you could survive if they decided to pull the plug on everything."

"I don't think they'd cast me out penniless, but if they did, I'd find a way. Declan doesn't have a penny too his name, be he's happier then mom and dad put together. And if I needed, I know he'd take me in, help me learn to survive on my own. I'd rather be rich with love than dollar signs."

"I admire your bravery, Char. I don't think I could ever do it, walk away from everything."

Charlotte shot him a knowing smile, "That's 'cause you haven't met the right person yet." Daniel rolled his eyes. Ever since the elusive love bug hit her, Charlotte had preoccupied herself with his love life. "She's out there, Danny."

Daniel shook his head, "Yeah, and I'm pretty sure mom and dad all ready have her all picked out for me."

"You used to believe in going against the current."

Daniel's mood darkened. He knew what she was talking about of course. Or rather, he knew _who_ she was talking about. Sara Munello, the supposed love of his life, who had died in a car crash he caused six months ago.

Sarah was a waitress with a dream of being a pastry chef. Daniel had met her at the diner she worked in. He had flirted for months, trying to get up the courage to ask her out, knowing his parents would never approve. Finally, she had brazenly told him that if he did not show up at her house to take her out for dinner that night, he better never come back to the diner. They were together for two glorious months. They snuck around behind his parents back. He had introduced her to how the other half lived and she had shown him how to do his own laundry and make pancakes from scratch. It was like a fairy tale.

Then, he had decided it was time to tell his parents. Sara was amazing. They would understand. They had to.

But he had been so nervous, and he had only one cure: alcohol. He may have been sixteen, but when you have enough money, it's not that hard to get your hands on the stuff. Daniel had been a social drinker for years. This was different though. He had guzzled the whole bottle before he picked Sarah up.

They made their way to Grayson Manor. It was dark and Daniel was drunk. He thought he saw something in the road. Maybe something had been there. Maybe not. Maybe his drunken, scared mind had made it up. Whatever the reason, he had swerved. Then, he had crashed. Sara had screamed, and he vividly remembered the look of terror on her face, the light going out of her eyes. Then she was gone, both from his life, and this world.

Daniel had escaped with a few broken bones that had long since healed. His father said it was because he had more to do. He had a destiny. He was a Grayson. He never told his father who Sara was, that he had been taking her home to meet the family. He had said she was a girl he knew that needed a ride. Of everything that happened that night, lying to his parents about Sara was the thing he regretted most. He had dishonored her memory because he was a coward.

Charlotte had done with Declan what he should have done with Sarah from the start, what he had lacked the guts to do.

If he could do it over …

But he couldn't. He knew that. He could never get that night back. He could never do it right. He had chosen that night to be the cowardly prince that his parents wanted, and much as he regretted that choice, it seemed too late to change it.

"Daniel?" Charlotte asked. He could hear the concern in her voice, and he wanted to shrug it off and reassure her. He wouldn't though. He was always real with Charlotte. She was the only one who had known about Sara. She was the only one who knew the real him.

"Just be careful Char."

"I know you think it all ended with Sara, but there's more out there for you. You don't have to let mom and dad control your life just because of what happened to her."

"It's not what happened, Char, it's what _I_ did. If I had just done what was expected of me, if I hadn't brought her into my life, she'd still be alive."

"You made a mistake. A colossal mistake that you can't take back, but it shouldn't hold you back from ever finding someone. Sara wouldn't want that."

Daniel shook his head, "I'll follow mom and dad's plan, like I should have done in the first place."

"Bad things will happen either way, Danny. But you get to choose what kind of man you are moving forward. You want more than that world, and I think you know it just as much as I do. You're just scared."

Daniel shook his head, "Stay naïve little sister, and enjoy your epic romance while it lasts."

Charlotte gave him a sad smile, "Someday, you'll meet somebody who is worth moving on with your life, standing up to mom and dad, letting out the amazing guy who I know you are. I just hope, when you meet her, you have the courage not to let her get away."

Charlotte got out, and ran to Declan, who was waiting for her with open arms. Daniel watched the fourteen-year-olds embrace and wished he could go back to a time where he believed anything was possible. He wished he could be as brave as his sister, as self-sufficient as people like Sara and Declan. But he was almost eighteen now. He was too old for childish fantasies and fairy tales. There were no happy endings in The Hamptons, only Stepford Families and backroom deals. And there was nothing Daniel could do to change that.

* * *

There was a knock on Amanda's door that morning. It was strange. Normally, her foster-family didn't offer her courtesies of knocking; they were more the just-burst-in-with-commands sort. They only played at politeness and affection when somebody from the state was coming to check up, and Amanda was usually given notice in those cases. They needed her to play the role too. She could always refuse, and she might even get away with it without getting hit, but she also might be relocated. As horrible as this foster family was, it was better than some of the ones she had been in. She was almost out, and making a scene now could only make her life harder. She was too smart to act out in anger; better to keep her nose down and count the days.

Keeping her nose down worked fine; they usually left her alone unless they wanted something, in which case, they were often rather rude. Which brought Amanda back to the knocking. Slowly, cautiously, she got out of bed and headed for the door. She opened it a crack to see her stepmother standing there with a worn-out, beaten up suitcase.

"Pack."

Simple direct instructions. That was a bit more like it. Still, Amanda needed a bit more information.

"What?" She asked, trying to keep the rude, annoyed tone from her voice.

Her foster-mother rolled her eyes as though Amanda were the simplest, most dimwitted creature in the world.

"We have been invited to spend the summer in The Hamptons. My cousin Lydia is giving us use of her summer home while she straightens out her divorce. Poor thing doesn't exactly want to deal with the vultures who summer there at the moment, and who can blame her, but that's hardly the point. Of course, I could just leave you here, but you could rob us blind or burn the place down. You're hardly trustworthy. Now pack, because we're leaving in two hours. You can bring anything you can fit into this ratty old thing."

Amanda had only have heard what her foster-mother had said. Her mind was stuck on two simple words: The Hamptons. The Hamptons; where she had lived with her father. The Hamptons; where her life had been happy. The Hamptons; where here life had fallen apart. The Hamptons; where Jack was.

Amanda had met Jack Porter when she was eight, and in the one-year that they had known each other, they had been best friends. Jack had been her first crush, with his adorable curly hair, his dimples, the way he had worked so hard to make her smile. They had met on the beach, and quickly become inseparable. He had been sweet and generous and giving. After everything had fallen apart, when Amanda had been at her lowest, unwanted, unloved, abused, only thinking of Jack had brought a smile to her face.

She had been forced to leave Sammy, her beloved dog behind when her father was arrested. She had left Sammy with Jack, and Jack had promised to look after Sammy. Amanda had made a promise too. "I'll come back for you." She had said. She had been talking to Sammy, but she had also been talking to Jack. And now she was going home. Time had passed, and she had changed. Her father's name was synonymous with names like Stalin and Hitler. She was the daughter of an infamous terrorist, and maybe that was all Jack would see. Maybe he would see what everybody else saw when they heard her name, or worse, maybe he wouldn't even remember her.

The fear almost made her wheeze, but at the same time, she knew it couldn't be true. Jack was too good; he was incorruptible. He would remember her, and he wouldn't judge her.

As she packed her scarce belongings into the pathetic suitcase, plunked it in the van, and hid in the trunk so that nobody would associate The Hampton's newest socialites with "the little wretch," she couldn't help but smile. She was going to see Jack Porter again. She was going to see Sammy again. She was going home.

* * *

Author's Note: I hope you guys liked the first chapter. The next one should be up soon because it is already written for the most part.

So, I know right now it probably seems like this is going to be Jemily. Anyone who has read my other stories knows I love Jemily, but trust me, this is a Demily, though it will play proper tribute to Jemily.

I'm really excited about a lot of things about this story. All my Revenge stories so far have taken place after 2x22, which means I have not been able to do anything with Declan/Charlotte even though they were one of my favorite couples of the series. I really wish they could have ended up together, and I am excited to get to explore their relationship in this story, even if they will be more sub-plot than plot in all likelihood.

Reviews are appreciated.


	2. Chapter Two

Author's Note: I told you it wouldn't be long. Quick thing, I know I put Emily as the person, and I know she goes as Amanda here, but I feel like Amanda means Fauxmanda, and obviously, she will use the name at some point, or else the title would make no sense. Anyway, I hope you like the chapter.

Chapter Two

"A darker blue, I think." Angela said. Angela Morton was one of the Grayson's personal shopping assistants. The whole thing seemed a bit silly to Daniel. After all, he had been going to these sorts of parties his whole life; he knew how to dress. Even if he hadn't, even if years of Grayson social events had left him inept, his mother was the utmost authority on such things and she was right there with him. She always came shopping with him. Victoria Grayson was not a trusting woman. She trusted neither Daniel nor Angela to pick out what her son would be seen wearing at one of her events. Between his mother and himself, Daniel did not get why they even needed Angela. He had asked his mother about it once, and she said it was all about perception. People had to know that they were too important and rich to have to pick out their own clothes. Again, it was silly, but it made his mother happy. Victoria Grayson was known in The Hamptons as Queen Victoria. She owned the town, and Daniel, who had grown up watching her "control situations," knew better than to go against what she wanted.

So, he stood there, letting the two of them poke at him as they argued about what shade of blue his suit jacket should be, or if it should be blue at all.

He noticed a group of girls starring at him from across the store. Most boys would be embarrassed to be spotted out shopping with their mothers, but when you were Daniel Grayson and your mother was Victoria, you could afford it. These girls were not judging, they were admiring, ogling, envying. They were thinking how he was handsome and rich and wouldn't their lives be better if they could snag him. They stood close, like friends, but he knew none of them would hesitate to stab the others in the back for a chance to be welcome into the Hamptons royal family. The whole thing made him a bit uncomfortable. He shifted slightly, trying to hide from view.

"Darling, go change out of that, we're going." Victoria said abruptly. Daniel was grateful to head back to the changing room.

* * *

Amanda felt like she might faint. This was _her_ house. The house that her foster family was staying in, the house they were borrowing from some relative, was _her_ home. She couldn't believe it.

The place looked exactly the same. She was suddenly transported back in time, to quiet nights on a couch, her father reading to her as a storm raged outside. It wasn't exactly the same, of course. The new owners had refurbished the place. Still, there was a couch right by the fireplace, just as she remembered. She sank down into the cushions, her father's voice in her ear, and for a moment, she was completely at peace.

"Amanda!" Her foster mother screamed. Of course it couldn't last. She opened her eyes, sighing. "Did I say you could relax? We need somebody to unload and unpack everything. The girls and I are going to the beach. We're having drinks with Hamptons Royalty."

Amanda rolled her eyes, not bothering to argue. She headed outside and started unpacking. As she lugged boxes up the porch, she caught sight of the carving her father had made so long ago. There it was, still on the railing. _"I love you, infinity times infinity."_ That's what he had always said. He had even carved a double infinity symbol into the porch railing.

It had all been a lie, of course. She knew that now. Her father had made no effort to contact her after he was arrested. He made no phone calls, sent no letters. He neither tried to explain his side, nor tell her that he still loved her. The man was a liar and a criminal. He didn't deserve her love. He didn't deserve the tears she was struggling to blink back.

* * *

Victoria had been trying to find the right girl for Daniel. Conrad may have been silly enough to believe their son's story about that Sara girl, but Victoria wasn't. She Daniel had been carrying on with Sara for some time. Of course, it was a tragedy what had happened to the girl, but she was glad that Daniel was no longer involved with the little trailer trash girl. He could do so much better.

The truth was, Victoria didn't really think anyone would be good enough for Daniel. Still, he would have to marry eventually. Daniel had a good heart, and he would want to give it someone. There were thousands of girls who would happily take it from him. Victoria needed to protect him from the leaches; he had proven that he didn't have the good judgment to be able to tell the right sort from the wrong sort. What he really needed was someone who loved him more than he loved her. That would give him the power in the relationship. Victoria did not want her son reduced to an easily manipulated lovesick slave.

The Memorial Day party this year would be the perfect place for him to meet his future wife. Still, it was good to get in early to start and weed out the riffraff.

Victoria's best friend, Lydia Davis was avoiding The Hamptons this summer as she sorted through her impending divorce. She had invited relatives to stand in for her, and had urged Victoria to make them welcome. The family consisted of a widow, and her two daughters, one Daniel's age, one a year older. For Lydia's sake, Victoria had agreed to meet with them for lunch, though she didn't have high hopes.

"Katie," Victoria greeted the woman, kissing her on the cheek as though the two were old friends.

"Mrs. Grayson." The woman said.

"Please, call me Victoria. After all, any family of Lydia's …" she trailed off, letting the implication sink in. the woman was clearly lapping it up, thinking she was receiving special treatment. Of course, Victoria was fake-kind with everybody. Katie's failure to realize that did not bode well for the woman's prospects. "And these must be your lovely daughters?" Victoria asked, glancing at the girls. One was fairly plain looking, but the other actually was quite lovely.

"Oh, yes, this is Andrea and Ana." So, Andrea was the name of the pretty one then.

"Lovely to meet you." Victoria said, shaking both of their hands.

* * *

It had been four hours and Amanda's foster family had not returned. That was good. It probably meant they would be out a while and she had some time. What she didn't have was transportation. She needed to get to Montauk. She needed to see Jack.

Amanda didn't have a lot of savings, but she had enough to get a cab. It was a risk. She wasn't supposed to leave the house, for one. For another, she didn't even know if Jack was still in Montauk. His father had owned a bar, The Stowaway, but for all she knew, they had moved. Still, Mr. Porter had seemed pretty proud of the place. Jack was a little older than her, so he might be off at college. Then again, it was summer, so he was probably home. She really needed to just get there. All this back and forth in her head was driving her crazy.

Finally, she got there. She saw the building, what had once been, and what she hoped still was, The Stowaway.

She hadn't spent a lot of time there, of course. It was a bar, after all, and she had been a child. She had been there a few times. Her and Jack had sat in the corner, drawing with crayons as his father worked. The memory brought a smile to her face and gave her courage. She could do this.

She walked along the dock on her way, reading the names of all the boats. Then, her breath caught in her throat. There was a boat called "The Amanda." It could be a coincidence, but …

Jack had wanted a boat. She remembered that. He had wanted to sail off and sea the world. He wanted to help people, like Santa Claus, or so he had said at age ten. He had even invited her along. They had planned a trip. Now, there was a boat docked by his father's bar with her name written across it.

Steadying herself, she headed over. There was a boy there. He looked a little like Jack. The hair was right. He was a little too young looking though.

"Excuse me?" she said, her voice coming out quiet and raw, "Excuse me," she tried again, "Do you … do you know where I can find Jack Porter?"

The boy turned to her, a shocked, slightly angry expression on his face, "Are you kidding me?"

Amanda sighed. She was used to hostility, "Look, if you don't know where he is, that's fine, but I'm a friend of his and -"

"Clearly you're not." He said, his tone bitter.

"Does that mean you know where he is?" the boy didn't answer, "Look, I haven't seen him in a long time, since we were kids actually. But we _were_ friends. I asked him to look after my dog-"

"Your Sammy's old owner?" The boy's eyes had widened. His tone was no longer bitter. It was a combination of shock and … was that pity. Not knowing how to react, Amanda just nodded, "I'm sorry, I'm being rude. My name is Declan."

Declan. That was the name of Jack's brother. She offered him a friendly smile, "You were a toddler the last time I saw you." She said, shaking his hand.

"Yeah, I guess I would have been." He said, shifting awkwardly, "So, I guess you're Amanda, huh?" She stilled a little. What did he know about her? She didn't want to deal with all the repercussions of being David Clarke's daughter right now. "Sorry," He said, seeming to notice her shift in demeaned, "He mentioned once that he named this thing after, well, you, so I kind of put it together." He smiled back at the boat, "He really loved this thing. And Sammy, who we still look after, just so you know."

Amanda felt a sinking feeling in her gut, "Loved?"

Declan looked down, "I'm sorry to have to tell you. Really, I am. He always hoped you'd come back. He used to talk about … there was a boating accident. He was an amazing sailor, but sometimes, that's not enough. The sea can be pretty rough, and other sailors don't always follow the rules. Sometimes - "

"He's dead?" Amanda felt like she couldn't breathe.

"You should know, he really cared about you. He told me you were his first crush, and -"

Amanda didn't stick around to hear the rest. She couldn't. She was still struggling to breathe, and tears were stinging her eyes. She started running. She thought she heard Declan call after her, but it wasn't enough to stop her.

Jack was dead. _Jack_ was _dead_. JACK WAS DEAD! How was that possible? He was her rock, her hope, the only thing that kept her going. What would she do now? What did she have left?

* * *

Daniel made his way along the boardwalk. He had just dropped Charlotte off again with Declan. Now he just wanted to relax; it felt like it had been the longest day ever. He had shopped with his mom for hours, and then she had gone off for some lunch while he was supposed to work on college applications. It was a little nonsensical. He was going to Harvard. That wasn't a question. He had the grades, and even if he hadn't, his family was rich and influential enough to buy him a place. They were determined that he would go there, so he would go there. He would study business, like his father before him. On occasion, in his wildest daydreams, he wondered about what would happen if he studied something else, like poetry maybe. But that was just a fantasy.

As he walked down the boardwalk, he saw a girl with dark hair staring out at the sea.

"Hey." He said, trying to be friendly.

Her eyes widened, and she turned away from him, heading in the other direction. She was running from him? That was strange. He could understand if he had offended her, but all he had said was hey.

"Wait up," He called, running after her. Daniel was good with running. It was how he dealt with stress and big decisions.

The girl either wasn't in as good shape as him, or she just didn't have the energy to keep running.

He grabbed her arm, and she pulled away, quickly, "Get off me." she said, a bitterness to her voice. She turned away, but it wasn't soon enough. He saw what she had been hiding. Her cheeks were tearstained.

Quickly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, handing it to her.

She looked at him, her eyebrows raised, "You carry around a handkerchief in your pocket?"

"Well, I was shopping for suits early today, and I forgot to-"

"Suit shopping? Right. Let me guess, you're one of the great princes of The Hamptons?" She spat sarcastically.

He might have been offended, but she was clearly upset. Plus, he respected her honesty. Really, he just wanted to help. Maybe he could try and cheer her up. "I guess you're probably more in need of a court jester right now. I'm not great with the humor, but I can offer the lady a handkerchief." He held it out again, hamming it up.

The girl rolled her eyes, "I'm not some damsel in distress, and I'm not looking for a Prince Charming. Why don't you go back to your castle and leave me alone?"

He gave her his most charming smile, "I would, but that moat is just so hard to navigate. I always end up getting soaked."

"How long are you going to keep going with this royalty metaphor?" She sounded annoyed, but he could tell that she was amused, if only slightly.

"Until I can get you to smile. Besides, you started it." He raised his eyebrows a couple times, trying to get her to laugh.

The girl shook her head, "Look, I just found out that someone I care about a great deal is lying in a cemetery, so I'm not really in the mood to be cheered up, okay?"

Daniel's face fell, "I'm sorry." The girl nodded, "If it makes you feel any better, I've been there." He added, Sara's face flashing through his head.

She let out a huff, "Right. Sure you have." She said, turning to leave.

"What, you think because I'm Hampton's Royalty I've never lost anyone?"

"Look, if you've lost someone over the years, I'm sorry, but trust me when I say it's not the same."

"How do you figure that?"

She sighed, clearly realizing that he wasn't going to leave her alone, "Because you have other things going for you." She seemed to be struggling, and Daniel got the feeling that she didn't open up very often. She wasn't exactly opening up now, either, because she wasn't talking to him anymore. She was staring out at the water again, clearly somewhere else. "This person, they were all I had left, all I had to hold onto. Now, I have nothing."

Daniel looked at her, then out at the ocean, a terrible thought occurring to him, "You're not thinking of … of …"

She turned to him, seeing the horror on his face, "Killing myself? No. Not that anyone would miss me, but no, I'm not."

"I'm sure there's someone-"

"There's no one." She said, shaking her head, sadly, "Now please go away." She turned back to the water again, dismissing him. He didn't want to be dismissed though. This girl was in need of some serious comfort. He couldn't just walk away. He thought again of how he felt after losing Sara. He had needed someone. He had had Charlotte, and even that wasn't enough. This girl had no one, by her own admission. Why wouldn't she let him be there for her?

"For someone who claims to have no one, you sure are quick to push people away."

"I don't want pity from some spoiled Hampton's Prince Charming." She said, her voice distant as she continued to stare at the sea.

"What makes you think-"

She turned to him angrily. "I told you to go!" she screamed, snapping at him. When Daniel didn't budge, she started pushing at him. Then she started hitting him. He let her. He let her rage at him, scream things through her tears that he couldn't even make out. Finally, she collapsed into a heap of tears in his lap. He let her, holding her close.

Suddenly, he was hit with the strangest feeling. As sad as the moment was, as bad as he felt for this girl who was angry, hurt, in mourning, and had apparently lost everything, something felt completely right about having her in his arms. It was silly. He shrugged it off, comforting her as best he could.

"I'm not usually like this." She said quietly, "I don't usually let people see-"

"Shhh." He soothed, "It's okay. It'll be our secret."

He felt her relax into him slightly, felt himself stroking her hair. It was a strange moment, but it was the first real moment he'd had in a long while.

* * *

Author's Note: So, Emily and Daniel have had their first encounter. What do you guys think. Oh, in case it was not clear, some time pass in-between when she got the the water after running off and when Daniel finds her.

I did not like killing off Jack, but a) I wouldn't know how to do this story with him in it, and b) the shared loss of first loves (Jack and Sara) is something that could bring Emily and Daniel together. I feel like in some ways they may understand each other because of it, which is good, because for the most part they have very different background. They are both in pain though, both young, both trying to figure out who they are, etc…

So, let me know what you think. I cannot wait to hear.


End file.
